Death in Venice takes as its focus the one who desires; in contemplating the reasons why Aschenbach is obsessed with Tadzio, the young boy, the book presents a maelstrom of regrets, frustrations and desires that lurk behind a love of the forbidden. This kind of love is seen as damaging and disastrous – and in many ways, the book is a sumptuous cautionary tale; years of secrecy and suppression lead Aschenbach to reckless behaviour and ultimately, his death.

The Graduate presents the American Ideal as the American nightmare. Its vision of suburbia has a Lynchian filter – the staid, boring and hypocritical world of nice cars, cocktails and swimming pools that Benjamin finds himself in seems strained, a cover that is stretched to breaking point. In this novel, it certainly breaks and what lies beneath is, of course, the desire to do precisely what you shouldn’t. Here, it is forbidden love for forbidden love’s sake though – and once the drama plays out and all lives are, effectively ruined, it all seems a bit cold and sad.

In prose that is genuinely mesmeric, The God Of Small Things captures the intoxicating world of India, in all its beauty, complete with all its stifling rules. The mystery at the heart of the novel is an affair between two people that Indian society would not allow to openly love one another, because of their beliefs. Their out-of-bounds love echoes downs the generations, showing that a love of the forbidden can cause not so much ripples as waves.

Like so many of the novels on this list, Portnoy's Complaint caused controversy on publication. While the 'forbidden' in this case is an excessive love of the self, the controversy actually arose more from the book's depicion of Jewish mothers, than from its over-zealous self-pleasing protagonist, Portnoy. An outrageous novel, it nonetheless has plenty of fascinating things to say about guilt.

Henry the VIII certainly understood what it meant to want what you can't have - he just changed the rules so he could have it. His world, as protrayed in this novel, is a devious, duplicious, scorpion's nest of a place that seems almost exclusively governed by inappropriate desires. The Other Boleyn Girl seethes with passion and anger.

Carol is one of the best examples of a writer taking what society says is forbidden and challenging it. It is not, however sensationalised or polemic; it is a beautiful book and a subtle, extraordinary read, one that shows two respectable (especially to 1950’s readers’ eyes) people who fall in love. They just happen, in this case, to both be female. If you have yet to enjoy the film, read the book first – it is the kind you will devour in one sitting.

Portnoy's Complaint is a disorder in which strongly-felt ethical and altruistic impulses are perpetually warring with extreme sexual longings, often of a perverse nature. In this book, the author states that many of the symptoms can be traced to the bonds obtaining in the mother-child relationship.

Humbert Humbert is a middle-aged, frustrated college professor. In love with his landlady's twelve-year-old daughter Lolita, he'll do anything to possess her. Unable and unwilling to stop himself, he is prepared to commit any crime to get what he wants. Is he in love or insane? A silver-tongued poet or a pervert? Or is he all of these?

Gustave von Aschenbach is a writer who travels to Venice for a holiday. One day he notices a beautiful young boy who is staying with his family in the same hotel. Soon his days begin to revolve around seeing this boy and he is too distracted to pay attention to the rumours that have begun to circulate about disease spreading through the city.

The acclaimed international bestseller set around the Tudor court, during the years when Henry VIII traded his mistress Mary Boleyn for courtship of her sister Anne - and tracing the extraordinary events that changed the course of a country's history.

As far as Benjamin's parents are concerned, his future is sewn up. Now he has graduated from college, will go to Yale or Harvard, get a good job and enjoy life. When his parents' friend, an older woman, strips naked in front of him and they begin an affair, it seems he might have found a way out. That is, until her daughter comes into the picture. Part of our Rediscovered Classics series - selecte

Click & Collect

Simply reserve online and pay at the counter when you collect.
Available in shop from just two hours, subject to availability.

Thank you for your reservation

Your order is now being processed and we have sent a confirmation email to you at

This item is in stock at the shops shown below.
If this item isn't available to be reserved nearby, add the item to your basket instead and select 'Deliver to my local shop' at the checkout, to be able to collect it from there at a later date.

First name*

Last name*

Email address*

Phone number*

Preferred contact method

EmailText messagePhone

Please provide me with your latest book news, views and details of Waterstones’ special offers.

When will my order be ready to collect?

Following the initial email, you will be contacted by the shop to confirm that your item is available for collection.

Call us on or send us an email at

Unfortunately there has been a problem with your order

Please try again or alternatively you can contact your chosen shop on or send us an email at